Retina Today: When did you first know that you wanted to become a retina specialist?
I got my start in retina as an MD-PhD student during a summer rotation investigating photoreceptor genetics and development in the laboratory of Constance Cepko, PhD, at Harvard Medical School. Although I ended up focusing on the cerebral cortex for my PhD, I remained interested in retina; when I returned to medical school, I realized that ophthalmology was the perfect fit for me, both clinically and scientifically.
RT: Who do you look to as mentors in the field?
My research mentors are Jeffrey D. Macklis, MD, DScTech, my PhD advisor at Harvard, and Jeffrey Goldberg, MD, PhD, my postdoctoral advisor at Stanford. I have grown tremendously thanks to their feedback, and I am grateful for their support and friendship.
I did my first vitrectomies as a resident at Stanford thanks to the trust of Prithvi Mruthyunjaya, MD, MHS; Steven Sanislo, MD; and Carolyn Pan, MD. During fellowship at the University of Southern California, I worked with a great group of vitreoretinal surgeons, including Andrew Moshfeghi, MD, MBA; Juan Carlos Martinez, MD; Firas M. Rahhal, MD; and Pouya N. Dayani, MD. They all have a sixth sense in the OR for when to let me figure things out and when to step in with a helpful suggestion.
RT: What has been one of the most memorable experiences of your fellowship thus far?
The highlight of training has been working at Los Angeles County Hospital. Taking care of patients with diabetic retinal pathology has been challenging but rewarding. As an immigrant from Argentina, I have particularly enjoyed providing medical care in Spanish. Patients are thrilled to have a doctor who can communicate in their language, and I am grateful for the special rapport this has established with them.
RT: What are you hoping to accomplish once you are in practice?
While running a research laboratory dedicated to retinal gene therapy and regeneration, I plan to apply my knowledge of surgical techniques, virology, genetics, and retina development to formulate new therapeutic approaches for inherited retinal disease and advanced degenerative retinal pathologies.
FIRST CAREER MILESTONE
Dr. Greig has joined UCSF’s Department of Ophthalmology as an assistant professor.
RT: What advice can you offer to residents who are considering retina?
Vitreoretinal surgery is a competitive field, and a few difficult interactions can scare residents away. However, some of the most dedicated, compassionate, and brilliant doctors are retina specialists. If you find the right environment and mentors, vitreoretinal surgery is hard to beat in terms of the diversity of pathology, complexity of surgical approaches, and cutting-edge innovation.
